


It Was Fourth Grade

by paper_aircrafts



Series: It Was... [2]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Fluff, M/M, another rendition of kids being kids™
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 16:31:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12868545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paper_aircrafts/pseuds/paper_aircrafts
Summary: Connor smiled at Evan, before ducking his head, letting his hair cover his face again.“Thank you,” Connor said quietly.Evan just smiled back, scooting closer to Connor, and laid his head on his shoulder.He loved seeing his friend happy.





	It Was Fourth Grade

**Author's Note:**

> You all left such sweet comments and such on the last one (thanks for those btw), so I decided to just make it a series :) Enjoy!

It was in fourth grade.

Evan, Connor, and Jared were on the playground during recess, and Evan couldn't get Connor and Jared to stop arguing.

“I was here first, Jared!” Connor shouted.

“No you weren't! We got here at the same time!”

They were currently arguing over who got to be in the tire swing first, and Evan just wished they would quit it. He really hated confrontation, but it seemed as though every time Connor and Jared were around each other, they found some reason to start arguing, and it always makes Evan uncomfortable. He just wants all of them to be able to get along.

“Fine,” Jared said, gruffly, “We’ll ask Evan.”

Evan really wished they wouldn't.

“Evan, who did you see get to the swing first?” Jared asked, demandingly.

Evan doesn't know. He was running with them, how would he know? Of course no one considered that.

Evan looks at both of his friends’ fiery eyes. He could just pick at random for the sake of ending the argument, but then one of his friends would be mad at him. Then, they’d probably never talk to him again. Then, Evan would still have one friend, but they'd stop talking to him eventually because Evan’s probably too clingy. Then, Evan would have no friends, so he'd cry all the time. Then, Evan’s mom would be so disappointed in him because he cries all the time, and has no friends. Then, his mom would leave too. Then Evan would probably die because he can't get a job, which means he can't buy any food, and there would be no one at his funeral because everyone would hate him.

Evan’s chest starts to feel way too small for his heart, and he doesn't think his lungs are getting enough air. He hates this feeling. Why'd he have to ask him?

“I- I d-don't- I wasn't- I- I,” he tried to choke out, feeling his eyes start to water.

Connor turned to glare at Jared, “Good job, Jared, you made Ev cry.”

“How was I supposed to know he was gonna start crying?” Jared yelled incredulously.

“I- I'm n-not crying,” Evan whined, helplessly, hurriedly wiping at the tears gathering in his eyes.

Evan’s statement went unheard as Connor yelled back, “You shouldn't have yelled at him.”

“I didn't even- you know what? I hate you, Connor Murphy, you- you loser!” Jared spat, before storming off, most likely to go play with his other friends.

Connor and Evan sat in tense silence, the harsh exchange still hanging in the air.

“Whatever,” Connor said angrily, after a minute or two of silence passed. He turned his head sharply looking determinedly at the ground, arms crossed over his chest. He hadn't gotten a haircut in a while, so his hair had grown down to his chin, long enough for him to use to cover his face. 

Evan knew this was something Connor did when he was trying not to cry.

“Connor?” He said softly.

Connor looked up, eyes softening. Saying nothing, he grabbed Evan’s hand, and pulled them over to sit under their tree that stood in the grass surrounding the playground, (Connor had deemed the tree as theirs last year when Evan said it was his favorite one at school).

They didn't say anything for a few minutes, both trying to calm down from their outburst.

“I’m sorry, Ev. I know you don't like fighting, and I promise I'll try really hard not to next time,” Connor said sounding slightly guilty. He held his pinkie out towards Evan.

Evan wrapped his pinkie around Connor’s. “Promise?” He asked as their thumbs met.

“Promise.”

“I for-forgive you,” Evan smiled for a fraction of a second, before frowning slightly, twisting a loose string on his shirt around his finger. “I- s-sorry for be- being such a b-baby all the time, uh, I know you're- i-it's probably annoying.”

“You don't have to say sorry, Ev. I don't think you're annoying.”

“A-and you're not a loser.”

Connor smiled at Evan, before ducking his head, letting his hair cover his face again. 

“Thank you,” Connor said quietly.

Evan just smiled back, scooting closer to Connor, and laid his head on his shoulder.

He loved seeing his friend happy.  
__________

“S-see I don't get that.”

“Don't get what?”

Evan and Connor were at Evan’s house, Connor having been allowed to spend the night, and they were watching Adventure Time on Heidi's computer, while sitting in Evan’s bed.

“Like, why is he s-so sad? Him and Pr- Princess Bubblegum are still friends, uh, aren't they?”

“Well, yeah, but he wants her to be his girlfriend,” Connor said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Gr-gross, why? S-she's not very n-nice,” Evan mumbled, genuinely curious.

“Um,” Connor placed a hand on his chin, seemingly thinking this over a lot. “It's because he loves her?”

“O-oh. I guess that makes sense.”

Connor smirked, “Of course it does, I'm an expert on everything,” he said puffing out his chest jokingly.

Evan laughed, “Oh yeah?” 

“Yep,” Connor said, popping the “p.”

Evan smiled, “Th-then what's the best food in the- the whole world?”

“Easy, it's pizza,” Connor replied smoothly.

Evan couldn't argue against that, so he continued his questioning.

“What's the s-smallest animal in the world?”

“An ant.”

“The tallest?”

“A giraffe.”

“W-who's the bestest person in the world?”

Connor paused for a moment, then grinned widely.

“That would be you, of course.”

Evan blushed, smiling. Connor always knows how to say the right things to make him happy.

Evan was struck with an idea that would help him return the favor.

He forces a frown on his face, “W-wow I'm sorry, Connie, b-but you got that one wrong.”

“No way.”

“Yes way,” be- because you live in this world.”

Connor blinked a few times, before a light blush spread across his cheeks.

“Sh-shush,” He stuttered, shoving Evan lightly.

Evan just laughed, staring at Connor adoringly. 

He’s so lucky to have him as a friend.  
__________

Connor begrudgingly left Evan’s place Saturday night when his parents came to pick up him up.

Heidi and Evan sat at the dinner table, eating some chicken and potatoes his mom had just cooked. 

Evan thought that now would be the best time to ask Heidi some questions that had been on his mind since Friday night, that Connor hadn't given a satisfactory answer to. Even though he trusts Connor, he thinks adults know more than kids do.

“Hey mom?” Evan asked, trailing off from their previous conversation.

“Yes?”

“How do you love somebody?”

“Um,” Heidi looked at her son confusedly, “What do you mean?”

Evan hummed, trying to think of the right way to phrase it.

“L-like Finn loves Princess Bubblegum, b-but why?”

“Let's see… well when somebody loves someone, it's usually because that someone makes them happy, and they like to make that someone feel happy, too.”

“Th-that's it?”

“Well I can't explain all of it-” Heidi chuckled. “I guess, to love someone you also trust that person, and you appreciate having them around you, and you care about them.”

“S-so like it makes y-you sad to see them s-sad? That's caring, r-right?”

“Yeah,” Heidi agrees, “That's a part of it.”

Evan nodded his head slowly, “Oh o-okay.”

“What brought this on, kiddo?” Heidi asked.

“You know… just, uh, wondering,” Evan said rubbing his neck embarrassedly.

Heidi hummed suspiciously, but didn't say anything.

As she got up to clear their plates, Evan said, “Hey, mom?”

“Yeah, bud?”

“I love you.”

Heidi smiled softly, then walked over and gave Evan a kiss on the cheek, “I love you too,” she said sweetly.  
__________

After exchanging their goodnights, Evan went up to his room to watch more Adventure Time, before going to bed.

Though, before he finally dozed off, he had decided on something with certainty.

It was fourth grade when Evan knew that he loved his best friend, Connor Murphy.


End file.
